“Three lonely people, each looking for love in their own ways. This is hard enough in any big city – never mind in Tehran, where individual freedoms can’t be taken for granted.The protagonists’ search is subtly and gently sketched in this bittersweet tragicomedy supported by the Hubert Bals Fund. All three of them are looking for warmth and connection in a society that doesn’t embrace them back.” Source: https://iffr.com/en/2019/films/tehran-city-of-love

“Director Ali Jaberansari is clearly an actor’s director, managing to elicit subtle reactions from the three protagonists. Heart-breaking and emotionally fuelled scenes paint a stunningly unapologetic portrait of the fleeting nature of happiness. Contrasted cleverly with the use of deadpan humour, Jaberansari reminds audiences just how absurd this fruitless search for love is, especially in a city that seems unwilling to cooperate. TEHRAN: CITY OF LOVE is an intricately woven character study, exploring the intimate side of human nature, along with its intrinsic self-criticisms and anxieties. Final scenes promise to be totally unforgettable, leaving audiences speechless and in complete emotional limbo.” Source: http://takeonecinema.net/2018/tehran-city-of-love/

Director statement Ali Jaberansari: “[The film is] about three lonely characters looking for love and connection in the city of Tehran, where love is not allowed to be freely expressed and many odds are against it. It’s about the fleeting nature of happiness and the absurdity of our constant struggle for it.” Source: https://iffr.com/en/blog/tehran-city-of-love-by-ali-jaberansari